Concise Synthesis of Dimethyl (2-Oxopropyl)phosphonate and Homologation of Aldehydes to Alkynes in a Tandem Process

The synthesis of dimethyl (diazomethyl)phosphonate, a useful reagent for the homologation of aldehydes to alkynes, is described as a one-pot process and comprises the generation of the azide transfer agent, diazotransfer to dimethyl (2-oxopropyl)phosphonate, and methanolysis, followed by a simple extraction protocol. Previously described syntheses for this bulk product are much more elaborate. The homologation of aldehydes to alkynes can also be extended to a single-step process by adding the aldehyde directly to the reaction mixture prior to isolation of the reagent. The homologation process using dimethyl (diazomethyl)phosphonate was shown to proceed also in nonprotic solvents with mild bases, emphasizing the importance of a facile access to the reagent. The oxidation of alcohols to the required aldehydes was performed by a TEMPO-mediated process using chloramine-T as electron acceptor.